REVIEW: Zootopia

Courtesy of Disney

Even after they’ve repeatedly fooled me, I’m constantly surprised at the difference in quality between trailers for Disney animated movies and the finished product. Judging from the marketing, I’d totally understand if you never saw Tangled or Wreck-It Ralph because they looked terrible. Heck, the ads for Frozen completely hid that it’s a musical. But all of them are fantastic movies.

Now we can add Zootopia to the list. Aside from one hilarious selling point – sloths working at the DMV – the trailers made the film look like a subpar DreamWorks project. But it’s actually a gorgeous, fully-realized world of animals that also serves as an allegory about the dangers of bigotry. A family film addressing such a topic could’ve been preachy and annoying, but thanks to a smart script and a stellar voice cast, the end result is impressive and poignant.

In the film’s world, predator and prey have evolved into human-like creatures that have learned to live together in peace. However, that doesn’t mean tigers and sheep hold hands and sing “Kumbaya.” Much like the real world, each species come with stereotypes and preconceived notions about their personalities.

For Judy Hopps (Gennifer Goodwin), that means rising above the idea that bunnies can’t be cops. After becoming the first rabbit on the force, she learns that not everyone is welcoming of the idea. She dreams of cracking a big case, but her bison boss (Idris Elba) rolls his eyes as he assigns her parking duty instead.

She gets a chance to prove herself when she stumbles onto a conspiracy involving several missing animals, spread out across Zootopia’s numerous habitats (including Sahara Square and Tundra Town). But if Judy is going to solve the mystery, she must team up with Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a quick-witted con artist fox. In doing so, she realizes she must overcome some of her own prejudiced beliefs in order to succeed.

Zootopia does have one thing in common with the kind of DreamWorks movies I made fun of a few paragraphs ago. It’s packed with sly pop culture references and in-jokes to other Disney films, something the home of Mickey Mouse usually avoids to keep their stories feeling timeless. I tend to roll my eyes when other animated flicks try that, because most of them don’t pull it off. Just because you reference something familiar doesn’t automatically make it funny.

Fortunately, the screenplay by Jared Bush and Phil Johnston (which they worked on with six other consultants) gets that. There are winks at a ton of other movies and television shows (including a mind-boggling Breaking Bad reference), but it doesn’t affect the story if you don’t catch them. They’re simply an extra bit of humor to lighten the plot’s darker elements.

It also helps that the talented actors bring their A-game to the material instead of treating it like an easy paycheck. Goodwin, best known for her role on ABC’s Once Upon a Time, is wonderful as the bright, driven Judy. But what I liked most about her character is how what happens when she makes a mistake. She doesn’t get defensive or blame others; she uses it as a way to make herself a better cop.

Bateman might be even better as Nick, in some of the most perfect casting in recent memory. His fox character has no problems living up to his stereotype if it means he can get ahead in life. But even early on it’s clear he’s masking some real pain. It’s a joy to watch his relationship with Judy change over the course of the narrative.

The rest of the cast’s roles might not be as prominent, but Elba, Jenny Slate, J.K. Simmons, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake deliver strong work as well. The only jarring note is Shakira as Gazelle, a Beyonce-like pop star. Her part feels shoehorned in so the audience can have a couple of feel-good songs (nowhere near as good as the memorable tunes in “Frozen”) to bounce along to in their seats.

The other big selling point is the dazzling animation, which helps to establish Zootopia’s various boroughs. The world really popped in the IMAX 3D screening I attended. That’s not a requirement to enjoy the film, but it definitely doesn’t hurt.

With an entertaining story that doubles as a fun kid flick as well as a genuinely interesting mystery with topical connections, Zootopia is a welcome addition to Disney’s recent slate of winners. The studio has been on a crazy winning streak, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Zootopia is rated PG for some thematic elements, rude humor and action.

Grade: B+